Immigration and Refugees Law
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A common concern for many foreign nationals seeking permanent residency in Canada is how a past criminal history impacts their eligibility. Specifically, when evaluating Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) applications under subsection 25(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), many wonder: Can you apply for H&C with a criminal record?
The short answer is yes, but the legal reality depends entirely on the specific nature of the offense and how it is categorized under Canadian immigration law. There is a strict, unyielding boundary between standard or serious criminality and other high-level statutory bars.
When analyzing Inadmissibility and Criminal Records, the statutory text of the IRPA introduces a crucial distinction. Subsection 25(1) explicitly bars individuals who are inadmissible under sections 34 (security), 35 (human rights violations), 35.1 (sanctions), and 37 (organized criminality).
Noticeably, section 36—which governs criminality and serious criminality—is completely omitted from this statutory bar. This means that having a criminal record does not automatically disqualify an individual from pursuing an H&C pathway.
The Federal Court confirmed this exact position in Sedki v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2021 FC 1071:
“The parties agree that subsection 25(1), which refers to sections 34, 35 and 37, and not to section 36, does not preclude an H&C application by a foreign national who has been found to be inadmissible for serious criminality.”
While section 36 inadmissibility is not an absolute procedural barrier, it presents a substantial challenge during the substantive review of the file. An H&C officer cannot ignore a criminal record; instead, they must weigh it heavily against the compassionate factors of the case.
As articulated by the court in Gosh v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2023 FC 390 (at paragraph 22):
“When, as in the present case, an H&C exemption from criminal inadmissibility is sought, the decision maker must weigh the public policy reflected in subsection 36(1) of the IRPA against the individual circumstances of the case.”
Therefore, while the door is legally open to submit the application, the criminal history will carry significant negative weight on the merits. The applicant must provide compelling humanitarian evidence to counter-balance the public policy concerns regarding Canadian safety.
It is vital not to confuse standard or serious criminal records (section 36) with organized criminality under subsection 37(1). If an individual’s inadmissibility stems from being part of a criminal organization, money laundering, or transnational trafficking, they face an unyielding, absolute statutory bar.
The Federal Court of Appeal made this operational difference entirely clear in Revell v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2019 FCA 262 (at paragraph 9):
“Although it is available to foreign nationals who are inadmissible for subsection 36(1) serious criminality irrespective of their sentence, it is not available to those who are inadmissible under subsection 37(1) organized criminality.”
For those caught under section 37, the only viable alternative is seeking Ministerial Relief under section 42.1, which assesses national interest rather than humanitarian factors. Only after such relief is granted does the individual regain the legal right to lodge an H&C request.
| Inadmissibility Section | Type of Offense / Ground | Is an H&C Application Permitted? |
|---|---|---|
| Section 36 (1) & (2) | Criminality & Serious Criminality (Individual offenses) | Yes (Evaluated strictly on its individual merits) |
| Section 37 | Organized Criminality (Gangs, transnational crime, money laundering) | No (Absolute statutory bar applies) |
| Sections 34, 35, 35.1 | Security, Human Rights Violations, and Sanctions | No (Absolute statutory bar applies) |
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